Tag: Capnography

Reducing Adverse Events and Death from Colonoscopies and Other Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Procedures

Millions of colonoscopies and other gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures in the US each year. In 2009, more than 55 million gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures were performed.

Endoscopy is usually a safe procedure and the risk of serious complications is very low. In looking at colonoscopies, which constitute about half of gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures, overall serious adverse event rate was 2.8 per 1000 procedures and the death rate was just 0.03 percent, according to guidelines published by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

However, the risk of complication rises with the use of sedation. The goal of sedation when used in colonoscopies and other gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures is safely and effectively manage any pain, discomfort, or anxiety the patient may have during the procedure. Continue reading “Reducing Adverse Events and Death from Colonoscopies and Other Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Procedures” →

5 Keys to Safer Hospital Sedation

By Michael Wong, JD (Founder/Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety)

Conscious sedation is routinely used with patients so that they can tolerate procedures that may cause them discomfort, anxiety, or pain. Some of the tests and procedures conscious sedation may be used for are:

  • Breast biopsy
  • Dental prosthetic or reconstructive surgery
  • Minor bone fracture repair
  • Minor foot surgery
  • Minor skin surgery
  • Plastic or reconstructive surgery
  • Procedures to diagnose and treat some stomach (upper endoscopy), colon (colonoscopy), lung (bronchoscopy), and bladder (cystoscopy) conditions.

Conscious sedation may also be used with pediatric patients or adult patients who may have difficulty remaining still for certain tests and medical procedures. Continue reading “5 Keys to Safer Hospital Sedation” →

What Emergency Medical Services Can Teach Us About Keeping Patients Alive & Capnography

Chris Cebollero, a nationally recognized emergency medical services (EMS) leader, author, and advocate recently wrote an article, “Capnography: What EMS chiefs and leaders need to know”. In this article, Mr. Cebollero writes about how capnography may improve patient care and outcomes:

While assessing patients, the knowledge we gather from vital signs allows our clinicians to make precise diagnoses and employ the appropriate management and treatment. Capnography is often referred to as the seventh vital sign, and can be used in intubated and nonintubated patients. Combining all vital sign information, especially as they change over time, allows our personnel to drill down on both ventilation and perfusion status.

A great example of using capnography to assess a patient is Howard Snitzer. Continue reading “What Emergency Medical Services Can Teach Us About Keeping Patients Alive & Capnography” →

Three Must Knows Before Using Naloxone to Reverse the Effects of Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression

To reverse the effects of opioid-induced respiratory depression, the FDA recommends the use of naloxone:

When someone overdoses on an opioid, it can be difficult to awaken the person, and breathing may become shallow or stop – leading to death if there is no medical intervention. If naloxone is administered quickly, it can counter the overdose effects, usually within two minutes.

However, there are three must knows before using naloxone to reverse the effects of opioid-induced respiratory depression. Continue reading “Three Must Knows Before Using Naloxone to Reverse the Effects of Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression” →

Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) Needs Your Help: How Effective is Capnography Monitoring?

Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) has called for feedback on its report, “Capnography for Monitoring End-Tidal CO2 in Hospital and Pre-hospital Settings: A Health Technology Assessment”.

CADTH was created in 1989 by “Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial governments, CADTH was born from the idea that Canada needs a coordinated approach to assessing health technologies.” As the tagline on CADTH’s website proclaims – “When Canada’s health care decision-makers need to know, they ask CADTH. We’re a trusted source for evidence on drugs and medical devices.” Continue reading “Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) Needs Your Help: How Effective is Capnography Monitoring?” →

Reducing Rapid Response Calls by 50% and Avoiding Respiratory Depression During Conscious Sedation: An Interview with Richard Kenney, RRT

by Michael Wong, JD (Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety)

White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles has experienced a “better than fifty percent reduction in calls of rapid responses”, according to Richard Kenney, MSM, RRT, NPS, ACCS, RCP (Director, Respiratory Care Services, White Memorial Medical Center).

To better understand what Adventist Health hospitals have done to reduce rapid response calls and improve patient safety and health outcomes, the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety (PPAHS) interviewed Mr. Kenney.

In this interview titled, “Avoiding Respiratory Depression During Conscious Sedation”, Mr. Kenney says using capnography monitoring has reduced rapid response calls by more than 50%.

Continue reading “Reducing Rapid Response Calls by 50% and Avoiding Respiratory Depression During Conscious Sedation: An Interview with Richard Kenney, RRT” →

6 Top Trends in Nursing for 2015 – Weekly Must Reads in Patient Safety (Dec 23, 2015)

ADVANCE for Nurses recently published top trends in nursing for 2015.

These trends represent what nursing leaders and hospitals are doing to improve patient safety, health outcomes, and workflow.

Continue reading “6 Top Trends in Nursing for 2015 – Weekly Must Reads in Patient Safety (Dec 23, 2015)” →

Weekly Must-Reads in Patient Safety and Health Care (November 6, 2015) – When False Alarms Pollute Intensive Care

We have plenty of patient safety articles to share with you this week. From advice for nurses on how to educate patients about opioid diversion to tips for preventing medical errors in long-term care, audiences across the health care spectrum will benefit from some weekend reading.
Continue reading “Weekly Must-Reads in Patient Safety and Health Care (November 6, 2015) – When False Alarms Pollute Intensive Care” →

Weekly Must Reads in Patient Safety and Health Care (August 28, 2015)

Patient safety and health care should be improved for post-operative patients.

This is particularly true regarding respiratory compromise, where researchers have found that better monitoring of patients could have prevented adverse event cases. Continue reading “Weekly Must Reads in Patient Safety and Health Care (August 28, 2015)” →

Weekly Must Reads in Patient Safety and Health Care (August 21, 2015)

Two lessons learned for this week’s must reads in patient safety and health care – (1) Monitor with Capnography to Improve Patient Safety and (2) Planning Helps Manage the Health Care Risk in Obese Pregnant Mothers. Continue reading “Weekly Must Reads in Patient Safety and Health Care (August 21, 2015)” →